Ethan loves playing at the Dawson's. Here is Corbin pulling him around in a bucket.
Hello everybody!
Hanging with Caden. 
Ethan learned how to put the ball in this toy today. When it comes out it makes a funny sound. He loves it.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Fun with Ethan
Ethan loves playing at the Dawson's. Here is Corbin pulling him around in a bucket. Hello everybody! Hanging with Caden. 
Friday, September 19, 2008
100th
This my 100th post! In the 100th episode of Friends, Phoebe gave birth to the triplets. In the 100th episode of Buffy, Buffy sacrifices herself to save Dawn. Why do I remember this? I'm not sure. What do both of these things have in common? They are both gifts. In the last year and two months, our family has been extremely blessed with many gifts from our Heavenly Father. I have been putting off blogging my 100th because nothing seemed good enough to hold this spot. I decided to list 100 things that I am grateful for. So, here goes.
1. Jared; 2. Ethan; 3. Phoebe; 4. Being raised by two amazing parents; 5. Growing up with two amazing siblings; 6. Watching Stacey and Tony grow into two beautiful individuals that I am honored to call family; 7. Marrying into a family that loves me for me as much as my own family does; 8. Gaining 3 more sisters when I married Jared (maybe a 4th if Brandon decides to settle down: ); 9. My membership in the LDS Church and my testimony of Jesus Christ; 10. The knowledge that I will be with my family in the eternities; 11. The opportunity to serve with amazing women at church; 12. Trials and tribulations that stretch me and force me to grow in ways I never would on my own; 13. That Jared loves me even though I'm "crazy"; 14. Chocolate Soy Milk. It's delicious; 15. Having had the opportunity to go to Brigham Young University; 16. Meeting some choice individuals at BYU (you know who you are); 17. Having friends, that no matter how far apart we are, it feels like we just saw one another yesterday; 18. My therapist, Brooke, I love you; 19. That I am petite, not short, but petite; 20. Never having received a traffic ticket (knock on wood); 21. That simple things bring me joy; For example: 22: Crunching fall leaves under my feet; 23. A soft breeze; 24. The smell of salt in the air; 25. Watching the squirrels at my parent's house; 25. Floating on a raft in the pool; 26. A tall glass of Dr. Pepper; 27. Reading something that makes the world disappear around me; 28. Seeing Ethan grow before my very eyes; 29. Snuggling with Phoebe; and 30. Checking everything off my list for the day; 31. My job (though it is tough most days, it is so worth it); 32. All the people I work with, colleagues, associates, leaders (each has taught me something about myself and how to be more compassionate); 33. That I can think for myself and have original thoughts; 34. Living in America; 35. That I finally will vote in an election and choose someone that I really do believe in; 36. Watching TV on the couch after a long day; 37. Checking my voicemail from work and having less than 10 messages; 38. Working with Rachel on a daily basis; 39. That I only have to work 24 hours a week in order to support our little family while Jared finishes school; 40. That Jared may have the opportunity to work full time at UCF, which will mean I only have to work 12 hours a week to help support our little family while he finishes school; 41. Tuition reimbursement if Jared gets the full time job at UCF; 42. That both of our cars are paid for; 43. Our prophet, Thomas S. Monson; 44. Food storage; 45. the Visiting Teaching program, without it and a special visiting teacher named Janelle, I may not have made it through a very tough time in my life; 46. That I am healthy; 47. That we own our home (well, we will in 28 1/2 years or until we upgrade); 48. Photos of my family; 49. Ethan's laugh; 50. Seeing my niece Kalia in her sunglasses; 51. Nathan and his squeals of delight; 52. That Baby Gillespie is only 6 months away from entering the world; 53. My relationship with my nana, I do miss our daily lunch dates; 54. My love for dance and music; 55. That I can run a mile without feeling like an old lady; 56. That I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight (Does that mean it's time for another one? I wish!); 57. That I'm actually turning out to be a decent mom (check in again in 19 years); 58. That Tony is following his dreams; 59. That I had a second chance in life to follow my own dreams; 60. Having a husband that supports me; 61. Having a husband that finds me sexy even when I wear my "grandma" dress (a nightgown that makes any woman lose her shape, but it's comfy); 61. Having a husband that makes me laugh all the time, even when I'm mad at him; 62. Having a husband that helps me put things into perspective; 63. Having a husband that honors his Priesthood and loves the Lord; 64. Not compromising myself in order to be loved by Jared; 65. Being raised in a large family that allows you to run into someone you're related to no matter where you go in St. Augustine; 66. Gena Udy for teaching me the gospel and being my true friend; 67. My first marriage, which taught me more about myself and has made me who I am today; 68. That nothing on my body is sagging with age; 69. Reuniting with old friends via Facebook and the Class of 1998 reunion; 70. Knowing that there are many people in my life that I love dearly and that love me in return; 71. My testimony of the Book of Mormon; 72. General Conference; 73. Taking Ethan to the pool; 74. The way Ethan smiles at me when I get him out of bed in the morning; 75. Ethan's smile; 76. The way Ethan follows me around like I'm the most interesting person he knows; 77. My boss, Michelle, it is extraordinary to even know her; 78. I finally got a passport; 79. Seeing my friend Katie find true happiness with Jay; 80. That the planning for the 1998 reunion is over; 81. Getting to know and love Sarah Sweeny Giuliani; 82. That my parents still live in the home that they built 21 years ago; 83. That I come from a long line of spunky women; 84. That I have the courage to do what is right even when it's not popular; 85. Rainy days; 86. Mental health days; 87. Getting the daily mail; 88. Pancakes on Saturday mornings; 89. That my dad always buys my favorite things for me to eat even when I'm only home for one day; 90. My dad's ability to fix something with a single hug; 91. My mom's ability to fix something with a single hug; 92. Jared's ability to fix something with a single hug; 93. A newly made bed and shaved legs (no better feeling); 94. An unsolicited massage after a hard day; 95. My education, no one can take it away from me; 96. Checking my email and seeing friendly notes and not just spam; 97. Confidence that the Lord has a plan for me; 98. Our unborn children that will come into our family over the next several years; 99. Vacation getaways; 100. Life.
1. Jared; 2. Ethan; 3. Phoebe; 4. Being raised by two amazing parents; 5. Growing up with two amazing siblings; 6. Watching Stacey and Tony grow into two beautiful individuals that I am honored to call family; 7. Marrying into a family that loves me for me as much as my own family does; 8. Gaining 3 more sisters when I married Jared (maybe a 4th if Brandon decides to settle down: ); 9. My membership in the LDS Church and my testimony of Jesus Christ; 10. The knowledge that I will be with my family in the eternities; 11. The opportunity to serve with amazing women at church; 12. Trials and tribulations that stretch me and force me to grow in ways I never would on my own; 13. That Jared loves me even though I'm "crazy"; 14. Chocolate Soy Milk. It's delicious; 15. Having had the opportunity to go to Brigham Young University; 16. Meeting some choice individuals at BYU (you know who you are); 17. Having friends, that no matter how far apart we are, it feels like we just saw one another yesterday; 18. My therapist, Brooke, I love you; 19. That I am petite, not short, but petite; 20. Never having received a traffic ticket (knock on wood); 21. That simple things bring me joy; For example: 22: Crunching fall leaves under my feet; 23. A soft breeze; 24. The smell of salt in the air; 25. Watching the squirrels at my parent's house; 25. Floating on a raft in the pool; 26. A tall glass of Dr. Pepper; 27. Reading something that makes the world disappear around me; 28. Seeing Ethan grow before my very eyes; 29. Snuggling with Phoebe; and 30. Checking everything off my list for the day; 31. My job (though it is tough most days, it is so worth it); 32. All the people I work with, colleagues, associates, leaders (each has taught me something about myself and how to be more compassionate); 33. That I can think for myself and have original thoughts; 34. Living in America; 35. That I finally will vote in an election and choose someone that I really do believe in; 36. Watching TV on the couch after a long day; 37. Checking my voicemail from work and having less than 10 messages; 38. Working with Rachel on a daily basis; 39. That I only have to work 24 hours a week in order to support our little family while Jared finishes school; 40. That Jared may have the opportunity to work full time at UCF, which will mean I only have to work 12 hours a week to help support our little family while he finishes school; 41. Tuition reimbursement if Jared gets the full time job at UCF; 42. That both of our cars are paid for; 43. Our prophet, Thomas S. Monson; 44. Food storage; 45. the Visiting Teaching program, without it and a special visiting teacher named Janelle, I may not have made it through a very tough time in my life; 46. That I am healthy; 47. That we own our home (well, we will in 28 1/2 years or until we upgrade); 48. Photos of my family; 49. Ethan's laugh; 50. Seeing my niece Kalia in her sunglasses; 51. Nathan and his squeals of delight; 52. That Baby Gillespie is only 6 months away from entering the world; 53. My relationship with my nana, I do miss our daily lunch dates; 54. My love for dance and music; 55. That I can run a mile without feeling like an old lady; 56. That I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight (Does that mean it's time for another one? I wish!); 57. That I'm actually turning out to be a decent mom (check in again in 19 years); 58. That Tony is following his dreams; 59. That I had a second chance in life to follow my own dreams; 60. Having a husband that supports me; 61. Having a husband that finds me sexy even when I wear my "grandma" dress (a nightgown that makes any woman lose her shape, but it's comfy); 61. Having a husband that makes me laugh all the time, even when I'm mad at him; 62. Having a husband that helps me put things into perspective; 63. Having a husband that honors his Priesthood and loves the Lord; 64. Not compromising myself in order to be loved by Jared; 65. Being raised in a large family that allows you to run into someone you're related to no matter where you go in St. Augustine; 66. Gena Udy for teaching me the gospel and being my true friend; 67. My first marriage, which taught me more about myself and has made me who I am today; 68. That nothing on my body is sagging with age; 69. Reuniting with old friends via Facebook and the Class of 1998 reunion; 70. Knowing that there are many people in my life that I love dearly and that love me in return; 71. My testimony of the Book of Mormon; 72. General Conference; 73. Taking Ethan to the pool; 74. The way Ethan smiles at me when I get him out of bed in the morning; 75. Ethan's smile; 76. The way Ethan follows me around like I'm the most interesting person he knows; 77. My boss, Michelle, it is extraordinary to even know her; 78. I finally got a passport; 79. Seeing my friend Katie find true happiness with Jay; 80. That the planning for the 1998 reunion is over; 81. Getting to know and love Sarah Sweeny Giuliani; 82. That my parents still live in the home that they built 21 years ago; 83. That I come from a long line of spunky women; 84. That I have the courage to do what is right even when it's not popular; 85. Rainy days; 86. Mental health days; 87. Getting the daily mail; 88. Pancakes on Saturday mornings; 89. That my dad always buys my favorite things for me to eat even when I'm only home for one day; 90. My dad's ability to fix something with a single hug; 91. My mom's ability to fix something with a single hug; 92. Jared's ability to fix something with a single hug; 93. A newly made bed and shaved legs (no better feeling); 94. An unsolicited massage after a hard day; 95. My education, no one can take it away from me; 96. Checking my email and seeing friendly notes and not just spam; 97. Confidence that the Lord has a plan for me; 98. Our unborn children that will come into our family over the next several years; 99. Vacation getaways; 100. Life.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Post #99--Update
We have been very busy these last few weeks. I thought my life would slow down once the reunion was over, but that was wishful thinking on my part. Here's a rundown of what's been happening:
1. Jared and Andrea have been having heated debates regarding McCain and Obama. He's for McCain, I'm for Obama. It makes for some fun!
2. Ethan is talking and singing all the time. He is even trying to stand on his own. Today, he had his longest "no-hands" stand. Probably about 10 seconds. Barbara was here, so she is my witness. Ethan is also staying with Carol now when I'm at work. He loves her and she sends me cookies, so it's a great deal!
3. Phoebe seems very bored with us. Now that I've been home with her for almost a year, I have come to realize how much she sleeps during the day! She has the best life ever.
4. I hate that I don't get to see Stacey that much, especially now that she's pregnant. If I lived closer, I'd take her dinner and watch reruns of Buffy when she feels crummy.
5. We really miss Jason and Myndie, but know they are so happy in Ohio. You can just tell when you talk to them.
6. Jared started a minor repair in our bathroom and it has since turned into a major repair. Thanks to Dana for helping him get most of the work done on Wednesday. I'll post pics when he's done because I think it's going to look great!
7. I finally joined Facebook and discovered it is fun.
8. Jared may be able to start working full time at UCF. The upside: I can work less, we'll have benefits that are much more affordable with better coverage, tuition will be paid--at least partially, Jared will be truly happy knowing he is taking care of us. The downside: Graduation will be held up about two semesters. We can handle it and hope he is chosen from the other candidates.
9. I helped with our youth group's Roadshow (a skit written and performed within 24 hours complete with music, dancing, actors/actresses, costumes, sets, etc). It was tiring, but a lot of fun. I am so privileged to work with so many amazing youth and leaders!
1. Jared and Andrea have been having heated debates regarding McCain and Obama. He's for McCain, I'm for Obama. It makes for some fun!
2. Ethan is talking and singing all the time. He is even trying to stand on his own. Today, he had his longest "no-hands" stand. Probably about 10 seconds. Barbara was here, so she is my witness. Ethan is also staying with Carol now when I'm at work. He loves her and she sends me cookies, so it's a great deal!
3. Phoebe seems very bored with us. Now that I've been home with her for almost a year, I have come to realize how much she sleeps during the day! She has the best life ever.
4. I hate that I don't get to see Stacey that much, especially now that she's pregnant. If I lived closer, I'd take her dinner and watch reruns of Buffy when she feels crummy.
5. We really miss Jason and Myndie, but know they are so happy in Ohio. You can just tell when you talk to them.
6. Jared started a minor repair in our bathroom and it has since turned into a major repair. Thanks to Dana for helping him get most of the work done on Wednesday. I'll post pics when he's done because I think it's going to look great!
7. I finally joined Facebook and discovered it is fun.
8. Jared may be able to start working full time at UCF. The upside: I can work less, we'll have benefits that are much more affordable with better coverage, tuition will be paid--at least partially, Jared will be truly happy knowing he is taking care of us. The downside: Graduation will be held up about two semesters. We can handle it and hope he is chosen from the other candidates.
9. I helped with our youth group's Roadshow (a skit written and performed within 24 hours complete with music, dancing, actors/actresses, costumes, sets, etc). It was tiring, but a lot of fun. I am so privileged to work with so many amazing youth and leaders!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Class of 1998 Reunion
Well, I thought it would be fitting to blog about my Class of 1998 Reunion for my 98th post. First of all, I can't believe it has been 10 years! It was a stressful experience being a part of the planning committee, but in the end it was a lot of fun seeing old friends and catching up. Here are some photos from the event.
Jared and me at dinner
Janessa and family
Me, Kenton, and Sarah
Kelley and family
Ethan and me
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